Category: NRHA

FY2026 President’s Discretionary Budget Request

May 5, 2025

FY 2026 President’s Discretionary Budget Request

Last week, the Trump Administration unveiled their high level FY 2026 President’s Discretionary Budget request. Among these requests, the Trump administration proposes HHS receive $93.8 billion for FY26, a 26.2% decrease from the FY25 enacted level. Funding levels for the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy programs are not articulated, nor those for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Indian Health Service (HIS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

Other topline discretionary numbers include:

  • $7.2 billion for HRSA, a 19.4% decrease from FY 25
  • $3.0 billion in discretionary funding for CMS, an 18.3% decrease from FY 25
  • $5.6 billion in discretionary funding for CDC, a 38.9% decrease from FY 25
  • $240 million in discretionary funding for AHRQ, a 35% decrease from FY 25
  • $29.3 billion for NIH, a 38% decrease from FY 25
  • $6.2 billion for SAMHSA, a 14.3% decrease from FY 25

USDA is proposed to receive $22.3 billion for FY26, with an 18.3% cut to base discretionary funding, including a $721 million decrease to Rural Development Programs.

The Missouri Rural Health Association (MRHA) and the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) are monitoring the possible implications these requests will have on rural health. It is critical that Congress fully funds the rural health safety net and protects core rural programs against cuts in the FY 2026 appropriations process.

NRHA is urging Members of Congress to support our requests to improve rural health care access and affordability.

Click Here to see NRHA’s recent appropriations letter to congressional leadership.

NRHA encourages you to also utilize their advocacy campaigns and Urge Congress to Invest in Rural Health (FY 2026 Appropriations).

NRHA Webinar: How Rural Hospitals are Strengthening Swing Bed Compliance to Secure Reimbursement and Prevent Denials, May 14

May 1, 2025

NRHA Webinar: How Rural Hospitals are Strengthening Swing Bed Compliance to Secure Reimbursement and Prevent Denials, May 14

Strong documentation and compliance are the foundation of a successful swing bed program. Rural hospitals that get it right secure sustainable reimbursement, avoid costly denials, and maximize the value of their swing bed services. But with shifting Medicare regulations and complex eligibility requirements, how do you ensure your hospital is set up for success?

Join Valorie Clouse, RN, AGNP, FNP, CCM, who has worked extensively with rural hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) to strengthen swing bed compliance, improve case management, and prevent denials. She has helped rural facilities develop documentation processes that support medical necessity, meet Medicare requirements, and protect financial sustainability.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Documentation practices that ensure compliance and prevent denials with their swing beds,
  • Medicare’s latest regulations on swing bed eligibility and reimbursement,
  • How rural hospitals are securing sustainable revenue and strengthening financial stability with their swing beds,
  • Best practices for optimizing swing bed utilization without financial risk

This session will provide rural hospital leaders with clear, practical guidance to navigate swing bed compliance, avoid common pitfalls, and strengthen financial sustainability.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, May 14, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to register

NRHA Webinar: Rural EMS Staffing in 2025: How Rural Hospitals are Reducing Delays and Strengthening Patient Care, May 8

April 30, 2025

NRHA Webinar: Rural EMS Staffing in 2025: How Rural Hospitals are Reducing Delays and Strengthening Patient Care, May 8

Rural EMS staffing shortages aren’t ne – but the strategies rural hospitals are using to manage them are evolving fast. In this educational presentation, rural healthcare leaders and EMS experts will share what’s working now, from cross-training clinical staff and building local workforce pipelines to using telehealth and regional collaboration to keep response times down and ensure patient care doesn’t suffer.

After attending this session, you’ll be able to:

  • Identify workforce development strategies rural hospitals are using to recruit and retain EMS personnel,
  • Apply cross-training and collaborative staffing models to improve response times and ensure continuity of care, and
  • Advocate for policy changes and funding to support sustainable EMS staffing in rural communities.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, May 8, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Sign up for the Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals

April 29, 2025

Sign up for the Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals

Protect your rural hospital with Microsoft security solutions, resources and training at no cost.

Rural hospitals provide critical services to the communities they serve across the United States, but they are under significant pressure. Cyberattacks on hospitals are a growing threat that can severely impact patient care and compromise private data.

Microsoft is committed to helping rural hospitals keep their health services sage and secure by investing in the new Microsoft Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals. This program provides affordable access to Microsoft security solutions, builds cybersecurity capacity, and helps solve root challenges through innovation.

Who is Eligible:

  • The Microsoft Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals is available to all rural hospitals in the United States.
    • The following are ineligible for the program:
      • Urban hospitals,
      • Healthcare networks
      • Health plans
      • Ambulatory/outpatient healthcare organizations, and
      • Hospitals located outside the United States

What is Included in the Program?

  • Free Cybersecurity Assessment
    • Offered through a trusted Microsoft Cybersecurity Partner to evaluate and mitigate your hospital’s cybersecurity risks.
  • Curated Learning Pathways and Resources
    • Free cyber awareness training for frontline staff and foundational cyber risk management certification for IT staff.
  • One Year of Free Windows 10 Extended Security Update
    • Offers additional year of product support on Windows 10, when available in Winter 2025.
  • Security Product Discounts/Offers
    • Rural independent Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Microsoft nonprofit pricing. Check eligibility Here.
    • All other rural hospitals using Office 365/Microsoft 365, can get one year free of Advanced Security Suite, Microsoft 365 ES Security, and EMS E3 (up to 250 new licenses).
  • Click Here to visit Microsoft Healthcare for more information about licensing and support options for ineligible organizations.

Click Here to Learn More and Sign Up

NRHA Now Accepting RHC, CAH Event Presentation Proposals

April 29, 2025

NRHA Now Accepting RHC, CAH Event Presentation Proposals

The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is now accepting presentation proposals for the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Conferences.

The goal of these events is to share effective practices, policies, and information and provide insights and best practices addressing many of the access, quality, and patient safety issues confronted by CAHs and RHCs.

Five interest tracks are available for CAH Conference submissions:

  • Innovation,
  • Financial,
  • Leadership,
  • Quality, and
  • Best practices

This year’s events will be held September 23 – 26 in Kansas City, MO.

The deadline for submissions is June 3.

Click Here to Learn More

Click Here to submit a proposal

NRHA Webinar: A 180-Degree Turn in One Year: How a CAH went from the Brink of Closure to Expanding Services

March 17, 2025

NRHA Webinar: A 180-Degree Turn in One Year: How a CAH went from the Brink of Closure to Expanding Services

In one year, Monroe County Hospital went from financial instability to expanding services and strengthening its role in the community. This transformation wasn’t the result of new funding or external support – it came from a strategic leadership shift and operational changes that stabilized finances, improved efficiency, and positioned the hospital for long-term success.

In this session, Kerry Trapnell will share the key actions that made this turnaround possible, drawing from his 25 years of experience guiding rural hospitals through financial and operational improvements.

In this session, attendees will learn:

  • How Monroe County Hospital pinpointed critical risks and addressed them,
  • Key operational and financial changes that led to measurable improvements,
  • Challenges the leadership team navigated – and what made the difference, and
  • Strategies rural hospitals can apply to strengthen financial sustainability.

Cost: Free

When: Tuesday, March 25, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

NRHA Webinar: Improving Outcomes for Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Patients in Rural EDs, March 20

March 17, 2025

NRHA Webinar: Improving Outcomes for Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Patients in Rural EDs, March 20

Rural emergency departments need practical, proven strategies to improve care for behavioral health and substance use disorder patients. This educational presentation delivers actionable solutions you can apply immediately. Carla Wilber, a rural healthcare leader with extensive experience in emergency care, quality im0provement, and care transitions, and Lindsay Hunt, a healthcare transformation expert who has designed national programs to improve behavioral health care in rural EDs, will share targeted approaches to strengthen patient care and streamline ED processes.

In this webinar you will learn:

  • Best practices to strengthen behavioral health care in rural EDs,
  • 1-2 immediate actions your hospital or health system can implement, and
  • How a new three-month virtual program can support your team in optimizing care.

This session is built for hospital and health system leaders ready to take the next step in improving emergency behavioral health care.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, March 20, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

Webinar Series: Building Rural Health Resilience through cybersecurity and AI: The Cyberlandscape, Starts March 19

March 14, 2025

Webinar Series: Building Rural Health Resilience through cybersecurity and AI: The Cyberlandscape, Starts March 19

Microsoft is hosting a webinar series on building rural health resilience through cybersecurity and AI starting at noon CDT, March 19. This webinar series was designed to empower rural healthcare organizations with the knowledge and tools needed to enhance cybersecurity and AI capabilities. Hosted by industry experts, each session will provide valuable insights into how technology can be leveraged to protect and innovate within rural health settings.

Webinar Series Schedule:

  • Rural health resilience through cybersecurity and AI: the cyberlandscape

Gain practical insights and strategies to manage user identities, secure access, and protect your hospital’s data through identity and access management (IAM)using Microsoft Entra ID. Learn how to implement multifactor authentication, conditional access policies, and continuous monitoring to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to critical systems and information.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, March 19, 12:00 p.m. – 12:40 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

  • Understanding the security features of Microsoft Business Premium and Microsoft 365 ES and Microsoft 365 E5

Join this webinar to discover how Microsoft Business Premium, Microsoft 365 E3, and Microsoft 365 E5 can support your hospital’s cybersecurity through advanced security features, built-in compliance tools, and seamless integration capabilities to safeguard your organization against cyberattacks.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, April 9, 12:00 p.m. – 12:40 p.m.

Click Here to Register

  • Best practices in identity and access management using Microsoft Entra ID

Gain practical insights and strategies to manage user identities secure access, and protect your organization’s data through Identity and Access Management (IAM) using Microsoft Entra ID.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, May 14, 12:00 p.m. – 12:40 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

  • Next level innovation for rural health: A CIO’s real-world example

Tune in to hear a rural chief information officer (CIO) share firsthand experiences in driving innovation with limited resources to help their organization achieve next-level innovation and improve patient outcomes.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, June 11, 12:00 p.m. – 12:40 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

  • Lessons from a CAH cyberattack: Best practices for cybersecurity

Gain insights from a CIO’s real-life experience responding to a cyberattack at a Critical Access Hospital (CAH). This session will bring valuable lessons learned, best practices in cybersecurity incident response, and practical steps to improve your organization’s cyber resiliency.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, July 9, 12:00 p.m. – 12:40 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

  • Best practices in endpoint management using Microsoft Intune

Join this webinar to learn how to plan, deploy, and operationalize device management, enforce security policies, and ensure compliance at your hospital with Endpoint Management using Microsoft Intune. By the end of this session, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to create a robust and secure device management strategy tailored to the unique needs of your hospital.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, August 13, 12:00 p.m. – 12:40 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

  • Supporting rural health through AI innovation

Boost your hospital’s ability to adopt and use AI innovation to improve care delivery and operations. Hear from a Microsoft expert about the free AI training designed to equip both frontline and IT workers with the skills needed to fully harness the power of AI in their roles.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, September 10, 12:00 p.m. – 12:40 p.m.

Click Here to Register

  • Security transformation is cloud transformation

Learn about the benefits of moving to cloud-based security solutions and how to implement a successful cloud transformation strategy to provide robust protection against cyberthreats.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, October 8, 12:00 – 12:40 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

Where the Physician Shortage is Headed – and What it Means

March 7, 2025

Where the Physician Shortage is Headed – and What it Means

According to a recent report, the shortfall of physicians could reach as high as 86,000 by the year 2036. NRHA COO Brock Slabach says rural areas are already affected by workforce shortages, with primary care in especially high demand. Subspecialties already experiencing a shortage are bracing for impact as demand for eye care and other categories exacerbate shortfalls.

Act soon to share your perspective in Stroudwater’s physician compensation survey.

Click Here to access the survey